


Heroes and Villains:  Of Grace and Goddesses

by irishlullaby13



Series: Heroes and Villains [20]
Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2018-11-04 12:04:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10990581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irishlullaby13/pseuds/irishlullaby13
Summary: Abbie discovers more about her past lives as Inanna, Persephone, and Morrigan of the Fae and as a result learns more about herself and her fate.





	1. Inanna - Part 1

“People are getting curious about the one house in the New York to have perpetual springtime in the middle of winter, you know,” Abbie commented. “I mean, I've had the same people that write stories about Batboy and Bigfoot lurking around my house to see what's up. Last week, in the Weekly World News, my house was featured as the birthplace for the second coming of Christ.”

She eyed the silent ghostly figure in the corner of her living room from the doorway. Persephone had been holed up in her house for almost a month and had yet to really say anything beyond that she was there to help.

“To get the answers you seek, you must first ask the correct question,” was all she had said. Although, to be fair, Abbie hadn't so much asked any questions, just tossed underhanded jabs and comments at the goddess.

“So why are you still here?” Abbie asked. “You told me about Athena and all that, so why haven't you left?”

Persephone smiled softly. “I am here because you still had questions.”

Oh that was helpful.

Abbie observed the goddess. She had always seen pictures of herself but it was true what they said... if one saw themselves in person, having only ever seen themselves in mirrors or photos, they would probably not recognize themselves. Were her eyes really that soulful? Were her lips really that full? Were her breasts really that awesome?

If this was what she really looked like to everyone else, then no wonder the Captain couldn't keep his hands off of her.

“Since I can't think of what questions to ask... how about you just tell me what I need to know?”

With a small nod, Persephone swept her hand toward the sofa. Abbie took a seat. “What do you feel you need to know?” Persephone asked.

God dammit. “If I knew that I would be able to figure out what I need to ask, wouldn't I?” Abbie sighed. “I need to know everything! Okay? What are these visions I'm getting? What does it all mean? Did you really look like me or is that just a projection?”

“If you wish to be technical,” Persephone stated. “You look like us. We are all just different aspects of the same goddess. Our name gets changed when we're reborn. As does our role in this world. But we're always the protector.”

Floof cawed restlessly in his cage and smacked against the bars a few times before flopping to the bottom and exploding in a puff of feathers and smoke. Persephone cocked a speculative brow at the defunct phoenix and shook her head when what remained caught fire.

“Some things never change,” the goddess muttered. “You should have seen Cerberus. She looked fearsome but all she did was drool everywhere, chew on her own leg, and fight with her other heads.”

“When Floof finishes his morning routine I let him out of the cage,” Abbie explained. “If I don't lock him up at night he'll catch the house on fire when he renews himself. So is the phoenix Inanna's? I figure Boo was Morrigan's. I don't know how all this works.”

“Boo was Morrigan's, yes,” Persephone replied. “But _Floof_ as you call her, is yours. Inanna had a beautiful lioness... it was scared of heights and would cry out for hours if she ended up in a tree. It drove Inanna mad at times... Oh, darling, your draperies are on fire.”

Abbie swore and dashed for the fire extinguisher. She had taken to keeping a small one on hand since Floof had hatched. Although she took precautions to reduce the amount of Floof fires, occasionally a singed feather would hit the curtains and they would go up in flames. She was really thinking of investing in those fancy storm windows with built in blinds...

Once Abbie sat down again, Persephone continued. “We each get our own familiar. When we renew ourselves, we get a new familiar. Because our personalities change a little bit every time.”

“So... tell me about us,” Abbie said after a moment. “What were we like?”

Persephone closed her eyes and smiled. “Oh, Inanna was wildly passionate about everything. Hot headed, acted before thinking about the ramifications...” The goddess' eyes glimmered mischievously when she opened them. “Not too very different from you, really, but a multitude worse. In her youth, she struck down mountain because she thought it was too beautiful and majestic, despite being told by the other gods not to destroy it. But she just had to fight the mountain.”

Abbie chuckled slightly. “For some reason I am picturing myself in armor, sword in hand saying, 'Urgh. That mountain is so beautiful and majestic. I hate it. I'm gonna fight it.'”

“You laugh but that's essentially what happened,” Persephone said with a grin. “After she acquired the _Mes_ from Enki and took them to Uruk, she seemed to settle down a little. She kept herself busy using the _Mes_ to create a new culture. Then the time came when they believed her mature enough to marry. She had her heart set upon a humble farmer and he knew it and begged the other gods to please turn her eyes another direction.”

“Well that's rude,” Abbie scoffed.

“Inanna was known for her nasty temper. And people generally died when she got angry. Not to mention almost every one of her paramours in her youth met a very cruel death because they angered her.” Persephone looked out the window longingly. “Her brother convinced her to marry the shepherd Dumuzi and he was foolish enough to accept. Not in the sense that he was uneducated, mind you, he was very intelligent. He was just... a fool in love. She, in turn, made him king of Uruk. If she wasn't trying to kill him because he had annoyed her, she was making good use of him as her consort. Many of her followers wondered if, perhaps, that was the only reason she never actually killed him... just trapped him in the Below.”

Abbie shook her head. “If she wasn't trying to kill him, she was trying to fuck him. That actually hits pretty close to home.”

“Could we go outside?” Persephone asked. “I would love to go outside.”

“I don't know, can you actually go outside?” Abbie asked. Persephone cocked a brow. “Okay, that was apparently a dumb question, you wouldn't ask unless you could.”

The fire in the bird cage reduced to embers and with the flash of a spark, Floof emerged from the ashes as a beautiful red bird that could easily be mistaken for a feathery stress ball. He warbled loudly and flapped his wings to greet the new day. Abbie stood and opened the cage to let him out. He bounced to the door of the cage then hopped out and dropped out onto the floor with a _fwump_.

“Dammit, Floof, you were able to fly just fine yesterday,” Abbie grumbled, picking up the phoenix. She didn't like leaving him in the cage on no-fly days. He was now roughly the size of a softball and covered with downy orange and red feathers. She lightly stroked the top of his head and cradled him against her body. “Let's go outside and you can tell me more.”

The goddess stood and elegantly strode toward the back of the house. “Dumuzi was blindly devoted to his bride as his family had worshipped her since they had come to Uruk from far away lands, three generations earlier,” Persephone continued, as she passed through the back door without opening it. “Inanna used that to her advantage to seize the Below from her sister.”

“I think I read that one on the internet...” Abbie said. “Inanna's descent into the underworld...”

Persephone scoffed. “Mortals seldom know the full story, darling.”

“Then tell me the full story,” Abbie suggested, going out of the door. She sat on the top step, putting Floof in her lap, and the image of Persephone became a little more solid as she smiled up at the sunshine. “Tell me what really happened. But, first of all, why would Inanna agree to marry someone she didn't really want to?”

“To tell that tale, one must start at the beginning. Inanna was a young maiden goddess. The goddess of love, sex, beauty, passion, desire, wisdom, strategy, fertility, combat and war,” Persephone said, settling herself next to a small sapling. She lightly stroked the tree and it grew tall, it's branches spreading out to provide a small amount of shade. “Poplar tree. Interesting choice. Considering its relevance to Inanna.”

Abbie closed her eyes and shook away the imagery that came to mind. “Think of it as accepting the bad with the good and making peace with it.” She remembered coming upon the tree while looking for something to plant for shade in the back yard. Inanna's soft whisper had stopped her, contemplated it, then told her that was the one to get. _To show it is not the tree that slighted me, that I was innocent to what happened, and that I was perfectly justified driving my blade into his throat and twisting with all my might once I found him._

Persephone nodded in agreement. “Inanna was hesitant in marrying Dumuzi because she had been watching him since he was a small child, bringing his family's offerings to her temple. Plus, the farmer that she had been besotted by, had been his father. Their family line bore the mark of an ancient curse but any crop they grew, flourished to remind them what their greatest ancestor had done. She did not see Dumuzi as a man at first, she only ever remembered him as an awkward child bringing the finest yields from his father's crops to thank her for blessing their land.”

“What kind of curse makes your crops grow in abundance? That sounds like the opposite of a curse,” Abbie commented.

“Do you recall the tale of Cain and Abel?” Persephone asked. “Cain became jealous and murdered his brother because their god favoured Abel's offerings. Their god punished Cain by marking him so that everyone would know what he had done. But a simple mark would not suffice, of course, a simple mark could be hidden with his shame. Their god paled his skin, made it more vulnerable to the sunlight.” She picked a flower that bloomed near her knee and held it up curiously. “I believe your scientists recently deduced that light skin and blue eyes were very recent developments to the genepool... yes? It's because that's how Cain was cursed. _But_ his penance was that if he took up the craft of his brother and vowed to never again smite another, his fields would be blessed as would the field of any of his descendants that did the same.”

“I'm sensing a 'but',” Abbie said.

“ _But_ many of Cain's descendants found a loophole as it were,” Persephone sighed. “They connived and manipulated others into being their sword. They chose to continue down the path of jealousy and hate. They became kings and usurpers. The very thing their ancestor strived to put behind him, they became. The line Dumuzi came from strove to honour their ancestors wishes and lived lives of peace.” Persephone smiled at the flower and placed it in her lap. “But, back to Inanna... she had doubts Dumuzi would be able to keep her... satisfied, as it were. But her brother asked her to take a good look at him when he brought his family's offerings on the tenth night of the celebrations honouring her and that she would see a man, very capable of satisfying her.”

A laugh bubbled up and spilled out of Abbie's lips. “I take it she liked what he brought to the table.”

“She bragged to _everyone_ ,” Persephone chuckled. “And then, of course, agreed to have him as her husband and consort. And then proceeded to give what you would call, vast amounts to TMI to anyone who would listen. It drove her brother insane because she would usually purposely hunt him down because she was 'so grateful he had convinced her to take Dumuzi' as her husband instead.”

  
#  


It had been a long time since she had managed to sleep while in the mortal realm—having stopped doing so after a mortal accosted her while she slept under a poplar tree long ago. But, surrounded by the warmth of her consort, she had easily done so. She had awakened to feathery kisses on her shoulder and his fingers fluttering along her hip.

He had not been her first choice by any means, but her brother had convinced her to reconsider. Now she was grateful she had taken a moment to realize that the young boy that had always brought the sweetest creams, the plumpest dates, and the smoothest honey to her temple had indeed grown into a rather handsome man.

“I apologize for waking you, my goddess,” Dumuzi whisper, his warm breath tickling her cheek. “I was in a state of disbelief that you were real.” His hand rested in the curve of her side and stilled. He sighed softly and buried his face in her hair, breathing her in.

“Dumuzi,” Inanna said softly. “Worship me again.”

He lifted his head in surprise. “I am still perplexed why you use a translator when you can speak our language.”

Inanna giggled and squirmed in his arms. “Your language comes from the gods. I only speak through my priestess because... mortals like to feel special. And she is special to me, so I make her feel special as well. This is how adoration and love works for mortals, yes?” She reached back and grasped a handful of his hair as she shifted her hips back against his groin. “Worship me again, my love?”

She yanked Dumuzi's mouth down to hers, kissing him deeply and wanted to curl up into herself with how delightfully warm his lips were. Mortals. They were always so warm. It was as though the great Goddess Nintu had left a speck of the primordial fire inside of each one when she created them. Even her high priestess was warm in places that defied logic—although Inanna was assured she was equally warm in the same places.

The hand at her hip slid between her legs, making her gasp loudly. Inanna hooked her toes behind Dumuzi's leg as his fingers moved through the curls between her thighs, parted her folds and stroked a spot that sent jolts of lightning under her skin from there to the tips of her nipples. She cried out softly when his fingers moved to her opening and slid inside. Her fingers tightened in his hair as she gasped for breath, his thumb finding the spot she thought he had abandoned.

“Oh Dumuzi,” she whispered. His lips and teeth grazed every inch of skin between her ear and shoulder, making her shiver with anticipation. She moaned and whimpered as she felt heat creeping to her face. It wasn't long before she became aware of the soft wet sounds accompanying each thrust of Dumuzi's fingers. “ _Dumuzi_!”

Her body jerked and she choked on her cries of pleasure as she saw the heavens open up in her mind. Dumuzi's fingers extended her pleasure until she felt tears stinging her eyes because of how good it felt. She was panting for breath as she watched him bring the fingers to his lips and drew them into his mouth to taste her.

Inanna's eyes widened as his eyes smouldered like twin icy flames. He pulled away enough to move her onto her back then perched himself between her spread knees. She licked her lips as her eyes roamed down his naked body. He was a gorgeous consort. His robes had hidden a surprisingly firm body and she had been delighted to explore every bit of him the night before. In the morning light, he made her think of some kind of exotic god from a distant land.

She ogled his thick shaft. She was anticipating having its heavy weight inside of her again. _What was he waiting for_? Inanna softly whimpered, “Worship me... I want your complete devotion.”

Dumuzi moistened his lips then, to her surprise, lowered his mouth to between her thighs. Inanna caught her bottom lip between her teeth as her lover licked and sucked on her thighs. The deep moans he was making sent tiny waves of excitement through her. His hands cupped her bottom, bringing her closer to kiss her at the very centre of her desire. Inanna's eyes widened and she gasped softly, grasping a handful of Dumuzi's hair as his tongue did things to her that had only ever been attempted by her priestesses.

He feasted upon her until every particle of her existence was trembling and she was certain even those who had fallen asleep upon the steps of her temple had heard her ecstatic cries. When Dumuzi lifted his head, he licked his lips. Evidence of her release dampened his facial hair.

“I thought only my priestesses knew how to do that,” Inanna purred. She leaned up enough to grasp his shoulders and pulled him down on top of her, framing his hips with her knees. “Although... I must admit, you are better at it than they.”

“In the ancient customs of my father's people,” Dumuzi whispered. “That is the only manner which one could truly worship a goddess.” He lowered his voice. “But the act was meant to be forbidden because we were meant to worship a solitary god..”

Inanna grinned and grasped his shaft. “Well, in Uruk there are many many ways to show devotion to your goddess. Such as planting your seed in her fields...” Her consort's eyes burned with desire and as her nails dug into the flesh of his hips. She could see the makings of not only a king for the mortals but the makings of a god, to stand at her side, in his eyes. “I will have you as my husband, Dumuzi... you need only show me how deeply your devotion goes.”

He rested his forehead against hers as she guided him into her. Her lips parted and she moaned softly as he pushed deeper, until he filled her completely. Inanna grinned and laughed softly. “Make me cry out to the heavens, Dumuzi.”

And cry out she did. Afterwards she lay boneless in her lover’s arms, barely able to keep her eyes open because she was so thoroughly satisfied. She swatted Dumuzi's hand away from her breast as he pulled her close to nuzzle the back of her ear. “Ecstasy has made by breasts sensitive, lover,” Inanna hummed. “Touching them now would only make me want you again. But you are only mortal. It would be unfair for me to think you could have the virility of a god.”

His hand flattened against her stomach. “Perhaps a god tricked my mother into thinking she was consorting with her husband,” Dumuzi murmured, then caught her earlobe between his teeth for a moment. “Because I certainly only wish to keep my goddess satisfied.”

Inanna hummed appreciatively as his lips ghosted a path down her neck and along the curve of her shoulder. “Well, far be it from me to deny you the honour of doing so...” She was about to just give in completely to him but she heard a shuffle outside of the door. She reached back and touched Dumuzi's hip as she sat up and reached beneath one of the pillows to grasp the bone-handled blade she had hidden there. He blinked at her in confusion until she carefully shifted onto her knees.

As if she were a lioness focusing in on something invading her territory, Inanna cocked her head to the side and crouched low to watch the shuddering of light as feet shifted in front of the door. She poised herself, ready to leap at the invader if they dared to break through, dagger in hand and drawn behind her back.

She could feel the soft thrum of her blood pulsating, slowing as her sights narrowed and her breathing paced itself to ready her for battle.

The figure outside the door knocked gently. “My lady,” she heard her high priestess say with hesitation. “There is an issue with Kishargal.”

The goddess closed her eyes and sighed heavily as her concentration on fighting broke. “What has she done?” Inanna asked, using the ancient tongue of Uruk.

“She has climbed into one of the hulupuu trees and will not come down,” the high priestess replied. “She cries for you, my lady.”

Inanna groaned and released the knife handle. “I am coming.” She turned toward Dumuzi and leaned over him. “Come with me to the temple altar. I must coax my little princess from the tree. And you, you must eat because you are mortal. I will also tell my priestesses of our marriage so that they may celebrate.”

She grinned against his lips when he cradled her face in his hands. “I need only my goddess to sustain me,” he said softly, then his stomach growled loudly.

“I think, perhaps you did not inform your belly of this arrangement,” Inanna laughed. She lightly grasped his wrists, planted a kiss on his lips, then pulled away to leap to her feet. “Come, my lover, there is time for making love once we have dined and celebrated.” She held out her hand and he took it to pull himself to his feet.

Inanna leaned down to shift through the pillows and layers of sheer fabric to find her jewelled belt and the sheath for her dagger. She slipped the sheath of the dagger onto the belt then carefully wrapped the belt around her waist so her weapon hung at her hip. She picked up several of her adornments which had gotten in the way of her lover's lips the night before and hung them around her neck. She slid her bangles around her wrists and ankles. The gold and bronze glowed against her warm brown skin. She turned to her love and saw adoration in his eyes.

“What are you staring at?” she asked playfully as he pulled on his robes and secured them firmly closed.

“You forgot to put on your dress,” Dumuzi pointed out with a lustful grin.

“I forgot nothing,” Inanna hmphed. “I am the goddess of wisdom. I do not forget things. And it is my temple. I can clad myself in the sky if I wish.” She fluttered her lashes and smirked. “And I wish to see desire burning in the eyes of my husband when he looks at me.”

Dumuzi pulled her close and leaned down to nuzzle her neck. “My goddess... you could be veiled from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes and I would still gaze upon you with desire.”

It took all the power of the wills she possessed to not wrap her arms around his neck and ask him to have her against the wall. All it took was pressing closer to him to know that he would be all too willing to do so. Even his gentlest touch made her shiver with want. Inanna could not help but wonder if one of the other gods had, in fact, endowed him with the ardour to keep her satisfied.

“My lady?” her high priestess called with uncertainty.

“Tell her I am on my way,” Inanna groaned, pulling away from Dumuzi.

“Who is... Kishargal?” Dumuzi asked.

“My precious princess that should learn to keep her feet on firm ground, as heights terrify her,” Inanna intoned with amusement. She sprang to the door, yanked the door open, and spread her arms open wide. “Ahatu!”

Her high priestess—a petite mortal with soft, light brown skin, and an ever ready impish smile—embraced her tightly. Inanna held her hand out to Dumuzi, she almost had to look away when a bright smile spread over his lips and he bound over to take her hand in both of his. She definitely owed her brother a thank you for convincing her to have Dumuzi for her husband instead.

“Dumuzi,” Inanna said softly, placing her head delicately upon her high priestess' shoulder. “Ninshubur.”

“We met briefly during the festivities,” Ninshubur stated, eyeing Dumuzi stonily. “I'm Inanna's high priestess and interpreter. If you need me to translate anything she says, let me know.” Inanna felt Ninshubur put a hand on her hip and pull her closer to her side. Inanna gave the other woman a kiss on the cheek.

“Don't be greedy, Ninshubur,” Inanna murmured softly in the ancient dialect. “You are still my favourite.” The other woman smiled softly and rested her forehead against Inanna's. “Which tree has my precious Kishargal trapped herself in?”

“The one in the centre of the courtyard,” Ninshubur replied. “One of the initiates put your dress in the boughs to dry and she thought you were in the tree.”

Ninshubur pulled away, taking Inanna's free hand to lead her toward the courtyard. Inanna kept hold of Dumuzi with her other hand and pulled him along behind them until he managed to match their pace. When they reached the courtyard, Inanna released both of them and hurried to the drooping boughs of the hulupuu tree and stood beneath the lowest branch, where a distraught lioness cried out helplessly.

Kishargal was much smaller than most lionesses her age. She was also afraid to have her feet off the solid ground. The lioness cried softly and rested her head on the dress that was hanging on the bough. Inanna's bottom lip poked out in a pout at the sight.

“Kishargal,” Inanna huffed, putting her fists on her hips. “Come down from the tree, silly girl.”

The lioness peered down at her and gave a soft, almost chirping sound before drawing one of her massive paws up and putting it over her face.

“Do not make me come up in the tree and push you out,” Inanna scolded.

Kishargal peered down and gave a mournful cry. Inanna groaned with aggravation then hoisted herself up into the tree. She scratched at the bark, which drew the lioness' attention and she carefully scooted around until she was facing Inanna. Inanna scratched the bark again. “Come to your Mama, Kishargal.”

Tentatively, Kishargal crept toward her keeping herself close to the tree as she did so. Finally, Inanna was able to pull her into her lap and softly stroked Kishargal's massive head. She gave her lioness a kiss when she nudged her chin. With a soft grunt, Inanna lifted the lioness, carefully dropped her down to the ground, then leapt out of the tree herself.

Inanna laughed softly when Kishargal trotted to her and nuzzled her hip. “Silly girl,” she murmured, kneeling down to return the gentle nuzzles. “With all the trouble you cause, I should have left you die like your queen wanted.” Kishargal softly licked her cheek. “Yes, I was just being mean. I could not have ever left you to die my precious girl. Not really.”

Ninshubur stepped close and rubbed Kishargal behind the ear. “Do you need me to escort him from the temple,” she asked quietly, casting a glance toward Dumuzi. Kishargal meandered over to him and he knelt down, eyes wide with wonder, to stroke her coat.

“Why would I ask such a thing,” Inanna replied. “He is my husband. He is welcome here.”

A surprised look overtook Ninshubur's face. “What?” She blinked in confusion. “But, my lady... I thought... When you said you wished to marry I thought you meant to choose from one of your priestesses...”

“You are the high priestess of my temple, Ninshubur,” Inanna said delicately. “My maidens and priestesses cannot marry.” Inanna shook her head. “You have pledged to be loyal and to love me. You have and do. And I have pledged to love you by making you my minister and my favoured handmaiden. I pledged to protect you. And I have.” She took Ninshubur's hands and squeezed them gently. “Is there something I am not understanding? Can I not have my husband and love him and retain my love for you?”

Ninshubur smiled in a way that did not light up her eyes as it normally did. She nodded her head. “Yes, my lady. I shall always love and be loyal to only you.” Inanna did not miss the quick glare toward Dumuzi that indicated that loyalty and love did not extend to him. “We shall have a grand feast and celebration. I will have the maidens fetch the finest offerings and the finest musicians to honour you.”

Inanna gave her high priestess a kiss on the cheek. “Do not forget to send a messenger to Enki. He loves a good party. Not to mention he's been looking for a reason to have a rematch in our drinking contest.”

  
#  


Abbie stared out of her window. “It's kind of messed up. Isn't it? That her priestesses couldn't marry anyone, even her,” she said quietly. “Ninshubur loved Inanna more than life itself and... I don't know if I'm interpreting it right or not but... Inanna loved her too. If she could have, she would have married her.”

Persephone laughed lightly. “Inanna loved the attention.”

  
#  


Ninshubur had kept good on her promise. The maids had scoured the kingdom and brought the best all the ships had to offer. The finest musicians were brought to the temple to play. Inanna loved losing herself in the steady rhythms of the drums, her maidens and patrons twirling, leaping, and swaying around her.

It wasn't until guests began to arrive that she took time to have Ninshubur help her don a fine, almost sheer length of red fabric that criss-crossed her chest, doubled around her waist and tied just below her breasts. Next her handmaiden affixed numerous similar fabrics around her waist in various shades of red, orange, yellow, and dark blue. Each one twirled around her when she spun on her toes. Her hair, as always, hung in unbound tight spirals with a rose tucked behind her ear. She was adorned with fine gold chains, bells, and bangles and her favourite lapis pinned where the fabric crossed at her breasts.

When the tune changed, the guests cleared the altar floor to give room to her and her maidens to perform the sacred dance to celebrate the sacred marriage. _Stomp, stomp, hip hip, let the energy flow from her feet to the tip of her fingertips as they reached for the sky, clap. Do it again and again until it becomes part of you_. With her head thrown back, arms spread out, Inanna's maidens danced around her. When her maidens threw a fist toward the sky and cried out, the guests did the same. The second time around, she felt a body get shoved against hers and she looked up in surprise to see Dumuzi shyly smiling down at her.

His fingers lightly grazed the bit of skin exposed at her sides. Just as he was leaning in to kiss her, Inanna felt a pair of arms seize her around the waist. She squealed with laughter as Ninshubur carried her away to another part of the floor, guests once again rejoining the dancing. Her handmaiden put her forehead to hers and whispered conspiratorially, “He cannot have you my lady. Not yet.”

Inanna pouted cutely, “But I want him.” She knew very well it was part of the tradition for the husband to pursue his bride. She had seen it so many times. At the moment, she could see Dumuzi looking around in confusion. A bright grin spread across her lips when their eyes met and he started hurrying towards her.

She grasped Ninshubur's hand and, together, they ducked and weaved between the sea of bodies. There was riotous laughter when it was apparent Dumuzi had not been quick enough to catch her. She dashed up the steps of the altar with Ninshubur and waved cutely to her husband when he caught sight of her again. Just as he reached the steps leading to her throne, Inanna kissed Ninshubur's cheek and leapt out into the crowd.

They caught her with ease and carried her away from Dumuzi as she laughed with delight. She sank into the sea of people and scurried along the outer edges of the crowd. She reached a large, sturdy pot and perched herself on the edge to get a view above everyone's heads. She had thought it would not be any problem picking Dumuzi out of the crowd. He was taller than most and his skin tone made him even easier to notice.

Inanna scowled when she realized she couldn't see him anywhere. Had he gotten discouraged and stopped pursuing her? She was so enraptured in trying to see her husband that she didn't see the cloaked figure sidling up to her until a pair of strong arms hoisted her off of the pot and dragged her into the shadows. For only a moment she panicked, but then she heard Dumuzi's voice in her ear.

“I have stolen my bride away.”

Her heart beat faster as he set her feet to the ground and whirled her around to face him. Inanna pushed the cloak from his shoulders then pulled his mouth down to hers. “And now you can do with me as you wish,” she murmured against his lips.

Dumuzi lifted her feet from the floor and her back hit the wall as he kissed her deeply. It felt like Inanna's breath had been taken away when he leaned in a placed small kisses on her brow, the apples of her cheeks, along the corners of her mouth. She parted her lips and sucked in a ragged breath—just how had a mortal managed to make her, a goddess, feel so?

There was one thing she _did_ know. She needed Dumuzi to worship her again. She could have hundreds of priestesses singing her praises, dancing her dances, giving her a multitude of pleasures, but it would feel hollow if she didn't have Dumuzi to _worship_ her. It felt like a part of her that had been missing had finally manifested in a physical form that she could touch and kiss and--a soft moan escaped her lips as Dumuzi joined with her again--have inside of her.

He found rhythm in the beating of the drums that echoed down the corridor as the celebrations continued without them. Ordinarily Inanna could not be pulled away from the celebrations until the last of the revellers had dropped from exhaustion and ecstasy. For Dumuzi she would make an exception.

She clung to him, accepting his praise with scratches on his back and bite marks on his neck, jaw, and shoulders. When she met his lips again, she drank him in greedily. In no time at all her walls were clenching around his shaft and he was releasing inside of her, filing her.

After several breaths, Dumuzi lowered her feet to the floor and withdrew. Inanna breathed out raggedly, her knees wobbling then giving out so that Dumuzi had to sweep her into his arms, cradling her against his chest. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed softly. 

“Take me to bed, husband,” she whispered and kissed one of the bite marks on the side of his neck.

“Gladly, my goddess,” he replied softly.

As he carried her toward her quarters, a dark cloaked figure stepped from the shadows to watch their retreating forms. The figured tutted with disapproval as she removed the hood of her cloak. She found it unfair that her twin sister could be so joyous and exuberant while _she_ mourned for her husband, who had been sealed away by one of Inanna’s champions.

Perhaps it was time to repay the favour.


	2. Chapter 2

“Ereškigal,” Abbie stated. “I read about her while researching Inanna. She was Inanna’s older sister. Inanna had sent a hero…” she snapped her fingers as she searched her memory. “Gilgamesh to destroy her husband. Which, by the way, why did Gilgamesh do all kinds of stuff for Inanna when he hated her? A lot of things with those two are very contradictory…”

Persephone gave a joyous laugh. “Is that what they say? That he hated her? Oh dear… things certainly got lost in translation there. He didn’t hate her, she was his best friend. The goddess of war is always near and dear to a warrior’s heart. He didn’t… wasn’t interested in women for anything other than friendship and his lover had been one of her priestesses when he was but a young boy. So when Gilly called Inanna a whore and such…”

“It was kinda like the modern gay man calling his best female friend a skank,” Abbie said with amusement.

For a moment Persephone looked confused then smiled and nodded, “Out of love and affection. Yes.”

“She called him Gilly?” Abbie asked. Persephone nodded. Abbie chuckled and shook her head. “So… this feud with Ereškigal…”

Persephone tilted her head toward the window. “You have a visitor.”

Abbie looked over toward the window and, of course, there was the Captain’s granddaughter peering in. With a groan, Abbie walked over and opened the window. “Look, Melody, your moms said no…”

“I figured out my tragic backstory,” Melody chimed, grinning widely. “I am cursed at being born into a situation which I am constantly caught in a loop of go ask your mother.” She shrugged. “I mean… It’s not oh em gee my parents are dead--which by the way I can arrange that if my backstory isn’t tragic enough… And then you can adopt me. I mean, they go on dates all the time all it takes is cutting their bra--”

“Melody, no,” Abbie squeaked. “You’re not allowed to kill your moms.”

Melody let out a sigh of relief. “Okay good. ‘Cause I love my moms, so I’d hate to have to do that in order to be your sidekick. So is my situation tragic enough?”

“God, yes,” Abbie said. “Now go home before your moms start to worry.” A guilty look crossed Melody’s face. “What?”

“I told them I was staying the night at Amber’s,” Melody said. “And Amber said she was staying with me because she wanted to spend the night with Zabrina but Amber’s mom doesn’t want her staying the night with her.”

“Wait… Why doesn’t Amber’s mom want her staying the night with Zabbie?” Abbie asked.

Melody sighed and rolled her eyes. “Because Amber’s mom doesn't like that Zabrina has a penis, we’ve been through this Siren.”

“That’s preposterous,” Persephone scoffed. “I had such women as my valkyries and there was never cause for concern.”

“That’s right and…” Abbie looked at Persephone. “Wait… what? Valkyries?”

Persephone smiled enigmatically. “Anyway… you wish for me to continue the tale of Inanna?”

Abbie looked at Melody. “Come inside, I guess I can’t get rid of you for the time being. You know where the key is.” She looked at Persephone. “Keep it PG until the kid is asleep.”

  
#  


Inanna sang softly as she made her way through the corridors of her temple. She stopped to admire the vases depicting battles and adventures by her dearly departed mortal friends. While she warranted their names would fade into history, she would hold them in her heart for an eternity. So, even if mankind forgot them, she would remember them.

“My lady…” 

Inanna startled slightly as Ninshubur approached while she admired a vase depicting Gilgamesh slaying Nergal. She smiled softly at her maiden. “Why are mortals so fragile, Ninshubur? Why can you not live forever as the gods do?”

Ninshubur shrugged. “I do not know, my lady. I would gladly stay at your side for eternity if I could. If anything, to assure you would not be alone.” She placed a hand over Inanna’s. “You miss him, my lady?”

Inanna nodded gently. “I do. But I was thinking of my husband.” Ninshubur sucked in a sharp breath. She looked toward her maiden. “What is it Ninshubur?”

The other woman looked away then met Inanna’s eyes. “There has been a woman in the markets for the past two days looking for your husband.” Inanna felt her heart drop. “She is very beautiful. The priestesses think she may be his wife.”

A wave of anger rolled through Inanna’s being. “She is not his wife any longer. I am his wife, now.” She tilted her chin up. “Have one of the priestesses fetch her and bring her to my throne room. Ninshubur, please make certain Dumuzi does not leave my quarters until I say so.”

“But what about translating, my lady?” Ninshubur asked.

Inanna paused for a moment. “Get a priestess you trust to guard him.”

A wicked grin spread across Ninshubur’s lips. “Of course my lady.”

Inanna strode purposefully toward her throne room to await the arrival of this mystery woman. She rubbed the base of her belly when she felt a gentle fluttering there. 

For all her initial anger, something didn't quite fit with Ninshubur’s theory that the woman was Dumuzi’s wife. He had said he wasn't married, hadn't he? And surely Utu would never encourage her to be a man's second wife? Not only because she was a goddess but because Utu knew she didn't like to share.

It's why she didn't want her priestesses to marry… she wanted them devoted only to her and their fellow sisters. She wasn't selfish. That was just the way of the gods. They were greedy and loved being loved by their devotees. It sustained them.

And thus, if anyone tried to lay claim to their spouse or someone they held dear, the god or goddess often would not let them go easily. If she had to, Inanna was not above making certain she _was_ Dumuzi’s _only_ wife and feigning ignorance to the sudden and mysterious disappearance of the other woman.

Half an hour passed and two of the younger priestesses guided a beautiful pale skinned woman to the throne. She had hair that reminded Inanna of a sunset. The woman's pale eyes widened and she dropped to her knees, bowing reverently.

Ninshubur, looking very pleased with herself, came to Inanna’s side. When Inanna spoke, she used the ancient dialect and Ninshubur echoed her questions.

“What is your name?” Inanna asked. “And who is it you're seeking?”

The woman lifted her head. “My name is Geshtinanna, reverent Goddess. I am seeking my brother… he came to Uruk to bring offerings to you from our home a week ago, but he has not returned. I worried that something terrible has befallen him. This is such a trivial matter, my goddess, and I thank you for taking interest in my concern.”

Inanna frowned and looked at Ninshubur. “I thought you said she was Dumuzi’s wife?” She noticed the woman responded to the mentioning of Dumuzi’s name by looking around frantically.

“Dumuzi?” Geshtinanna breathed. “You have seen him? Is my brother well? Is he safe?”

Ninshubur shrugged. “I am simply saying what the other priestesses assumed, my lady.”

“Tell her that Dumuzi is safe,” Inanna bade. “That he has simply been here at the request of his goddess and wife.”

Ninshubur looked away for a moment but translated for her. Geshtinanna looked confused. “Wife?

“Inanna has taken your brother as her husband,” Ninshubur clarified with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Geshtinanna’s hands covered her mouth to suppress a sob as tears sprang to her eyes. She bowed several times, proclaiming, “We thank our goddess for Her favour and love.”

“Ninshubur, fetch my husband so he may be reunited with his sister,” Inanna ordered with a smile. “And make certain the priestesses that made the mistake of saying she was his wife are reprimanded.”

Ninshubur nodded and bowed gently. “Of course, my lady.”

Inanna placed a hand on her maidens arm. “Nothing extreme. Just make sure they know to make certain they know the truth before speaking anything that would undermine the fact I value wisdom.”

Ninshubur looked away again but nodded before hurrying away to fetch Dumuzi. Deep down, Inanna knew it had most likely been Ninshubur herself that had came to the conclusion that the young woman was Dumuzi’s wife. To be fair, who wouldn't make such a mistake? Gestinanna was beautiful for a so-called accursed woman.

Later, Ninshubur would probably tell her the responsible parties had been suitably reprimanded and she would perhaps learn to temper her jealousy.

Inanna stood and walked down the steps to tilt up Geshtinanna’s chin. She wiped away the woman's tears then stroked her red hair. When Inanna cupped her cheek, Geshtinanna rested her hands over hers and kissed her palm.

“Our goddess honours our family,” Geshtinanna whispered.

“Because they have honoured me,” Inanna said softly. She was about to ask the lovely maiden why her family had never sent her to the temple to be a priestess when she heard Dumuzi’s voice ring through the altar.

“Geshtinanna!”

Inanna smiled softly as the two rushed to each other to embrace. They made quite a beautiful pair, if she could say so herself. Where her husband was tall and broad, Geshtinanna was tall and lithe. Inanna knew in that very moment she needed to have Geshtinanna as one of her priestesses. If for nothing more than to see if the sister was just as sweet as the brother… Though she found it odd that they looked so close in age.

Ninshubur returned. She scowled when she noticed her Goddess eyeing Dumuzi’s sister. When she stepped to Inanna’s side she softly whispered, “They are twins, my lady. Your husband told his guard that Geshtinanna is his twin sister.” Her gaze darted to the two as they made certain the other was unharmed and well. “Twins are unlucky, my lady. They bring nothing more than trouble.”

Inanna grinned widely. “How fortunate. Twins are something I am in need of to face my sister.”

“My lady? What did you have in mind?”

Inanna’s grin merely widened.

  
#  


“Did Geshtinanna become a priestess?” Melody piped cheerfully as Abbie braided her hair. “She should have become a priestess.”

“Geshtinanna had no desire to wed,” Persephone stated gently. “Even though her status changed once Dumuzi was established as the king of Uruk, she had no desire to wed despite becoming a very sought after woman.” She glanced at Abbie. “Because she was in love with Dumuzi, herself.”

Melody wrinkled her nose. “Ew.” Persephone laughed. “I mean, I know things were different back then and all but… ew.”

Persephone shook her head. “Dumuzi did not return her affections. He saw her merely as his sister. I doubt he even knew. Inanna saw Geshtinanna’s refusal to be her priestess or to wed as a waste. But… Dumuzi also wished to tend to his family’s groves and farmlands himself. So during the growing seasons, Inanna would accompany him to his family’s properties.”

“This is all some Game of Thrones type shit,” Abbie intoned as she finished a third braid in Melody’s hair. She delicately twisted them together in a spiraling knot. “Where’s your scarf baby girl?” Melody passed it back to her.

“Yes, Geshtinanna was jealous of Inanna. But she wouldn't dare cross her family’s goddess. And when Inanna bore twin sons… Geshtinanna was more than happy to help in raising them.”

Melody gasped and turned around as soon as Abbie finished securing her hair with the scarf. “ _Twins_ , you should have twins with my granddad.”

Abbie held up both her hands. “Whoa… stop right there. I get enough of that from _him_ I don’t want it from you too.” She waved her hand around her belly. “ _This_ is staying just the way it is for the foreseeable future. This… is on birth control.”

Of course not even ten months later, Abbie would be eating those words but that was neither here nor there.

“Things were peaceful,” Persephone said. “Geshtinanna learned to accept Inanna. Ninshubur actually started to befriend Dumuzi but… she still regarded him as though he were some pitiful puppy that Inanna had taken a liking to. But she too adored the children of her goddess. Things were peaceful because the other nations saw that Inanna had aligned herself with one of the bloodlines of Cain.”

“And then the fire nation attacked,” Melody quipped then grinned brightly. 

Abbie groaned. “Dorks. The lot of you,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Y'all even use the same lame jokes.”

“I'll take that as a compliment,” Melody preened.

  
#  


Inanna hummed as she studied her reflection in the bronze plate, testing which set of bangles she wanted to adorn her ears with. She wanted to make certain she was wearing the finest of everything she owned when she confronted her sister. Not that she would be wearing them when she actually met her sister. If she knew her sister--and she did--she would be made to offer each guardian at each gate an offering to permit her passage.

There were seven gates. Seven guardians. Each one in need of being bought to grant her further entry into the Below.

It was nigh time she visited her sister. Perhaps Ereškigal had forgiven her for having her husband murdered by Gilgamesh. Of course, knowing her dear sister, she hadn’t. But it had been necessary. The Hidden One had been getting rather full of himself. His demise had left the domain of The Below open to a new ruler. 

Only someone who was immortal and _male_ was capable of claiming said throne as their own. This fact was a source of irritation for Inanna. Women could be goddesses yet were not worthy of ruling? Seemed rather silly and pigheaded. However, it was an advantage that Ereškigal had not yet remarried. All it would take was any goddess to sit upon the throne to have an equally immortal husband.

Inanna planned to be that goddess.

All she needed now was an immortal husband.

While she had a husband. He wasn’t immortal.

Yet. 

But she planned on remedying that as soon as he returned from…

“My beloved!” Dumuzi’s voice rang through her chambers. Inanna turned to see her husband entering, arms laden with bowls of ripe dates, other fruits, jugs of honey and wine. “I have returned from my family’s groves and we have had a bountiful harvest!”

She giggled as he struggled to keep the offerings in his grasp as he hurried to her side. With a wide, cheerful, smile he knelt down and carefully set each bowl and jug down at her feet. “Dumuzi, my love, I have told you time and again that you do not have to bring offerings to keep me happy.”

He looked up at her, confusion writ upon his face as she stroked his cheek. “Are you not pleased? I have brought the best and finest of our yields… as I have always done.”

Inanna pressed a kiss to the center of his forehead. “I am very pleased, Dumuzi,” she said softly. Mortals. Such silly creatures. “Perhaps I can reward you for being so devoted to your Goddess…”

“Being able to serve my goddess is its own reward,” he replied with an affectionate smile.

“If only you could serve your goddess for an eternity,” Inanna said, running her fingers through his hair.

“If only I could,” he said softly, bowing his head reverently. “I would be the happiest man alive.”

Inanna took his hands and tugged gently. “Come, my husband, let your wife and goddess reward you for your devotion.”

He sucked in a deep breath and scrambled to his feet to follow her to the cushions in the corner of the room. She licked her lips when he pulled his hand from hers and started removing his clothing. Inanna stopped him when he reached his trousers. “That is not necessary, my love,” she laughed, pulling him down onto the cushions with her. “I wish to reward you in another wa--Dumuzi!”

She laughed when her husband leaned down to kiss her knees and thighs. “Temper your passions, just this once, Husband.” He turned over and rested his head upon her thighs, looking at her with so much adoration that Inanna felt her heart stumble in her chest. Her dearest husband was always so eager and ready to please her. Dumuzi took her hands and kissed her fingers and her palms. When he met her eyes again his bottom lip poked out in a pout. “I wish to give you a gift most precious, my Dumuzi.”

“What could possibly be more precious than the gifts my wife has already bestowed upon me?” he asked. “You have blessed my family’s farms with the finest yields. You have given me two beautiful sons.” His voice dipped to a seductive timbre. “And you continue to have me as your consort.”

“And yet you continue to do nothing but show devotion to me,” Inanna purred. “I wish to reward you by letting you serve me for eternity.”

Dumuzi cocked his head slightly. “I do not understand.”

Inanna placed her hand over her heart and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the darkest recesses of her soul. A face materialized in the back of her mind. The face, unlike her sister Ereškigal, was like her own, but shrouded in darkness. _My sister, let me grant my love a piece of my soul so that he may be with me for eternity_.

A sharp gasp ripped between Inanna’s lips as the image before her thrust her hand into her chest. Inanna struggled to breathe as her ‘sister’ latched her fingers around her heart and pulled sharply. _There are easier ways for you to grant your husband immortality_ , her sister whispered. _Ways that will not affect you_.

_None which make him remain loyal to me_ , Inanna replied.

_His very existence is proof of his eternal loyalty_ , her sister said. Inanna saw her husband sitting with her in a lush garden, both of them naked, she held out half a pomegranate toward him, the red juices staining her hand and arm. He smiled sweetly and took the fruit and ate the juicy seeds. For the first time, Inanna noticed she had more than one set of arms. “I wager I can make your _man_ eat of the fruit,” the version of her in the vision teased.

Inanna’s body jerked as her sister pulled a tiny fraction of her soul and cut it free. Her eyes fluttered open as she drew her hand away from her chest. A tiny bluish white light rested in the palm of her hand. Dumuzi’s brows arched and he sat up to study the small bit of light in her hand. “For you, my love,” Inanna whispered. “Immortality is yours my darling, so that you may devote yourself to me for eternity.”

His bright blue eyes widened as she set the light in his hands. “I shall treasure it, always,” he whispered.

“Enki will claim you as his son,” Inanna said. “If you accept this gift. You will be declared a god to stand at your goddess’ side.”

“For eternity?” he asked. When Inanna nodded, he held the light to his chest in a gentle embrace. “I can't think of nothing better than serving you until The End. Lest I could also serve you in the Next.”

Inanna brushed his hair away from his forehead. “Close your eyes, my love, and trust me,” she whispered. 

“I shall always trust in you, my wife, my goddess, my Inanna,” he replied softly, closing his eyes. When he dutifully awaited her next action, she placed her hand upon his and shoved his hands flat against his chest.

His eyes popped open as his entire being convulsed. A look of betrayal crossed his features as his body shook. After a moment he began to make small helpless noises and his mouth began to foam as he rolled and thrashed.

Inanna stood, pushing him away from her as she did. This part was always intense and took a while. It had taken hours for Kishargal to recover from receiving the tiniest piece of her soul to assure her immortality. She imagined it would take more time for a mortal to recover. If he did recover. She certainly hoped he would. She had tried this on a mortal before but none of them had been born from Cain.

But Inanna had heard good things about those in her husband’s bloodline. They were sturdy folk from her understanding. Perhaps he would pull through. If not there were yet others of the same bloodline she could use. None as loving and as devoted as her husband. But they were there and just greedy enough to take her up on an offer for immortality.

Now, to finish putting together her costume for visiting her sister.

  
#  


Melody scowled deeply. “I don’t like her,” she stated. “She didn't care if she killed him or not. _And_ she tested it out on Kishargal? Rude. Just rude.”

Persephone gave the child a pointed look. “Moments ago you were singing her praises.”

“That was before I realized she didn’t really care about Dumuzi,” Melody huffed.

“She cared about him,” Abbie stated as she tucked a blanket around Melody and kissed her forehead. “Go to sleep.”

While, yes, the relationship between Inanna and Dumuzi was not one that could be considered healthy by modern standards, the two had loved each other. Inanna had been born a goddess, she had lived eons as a goddess. She had little to no concept of guilt or remorse. She saw only conquest and power, regardless of who got hurt. Yes, she would be sad. But she would not regret taking the chance. Preferring Dumuzi to live was as close to actual love that Inanna could get. Feeling human emotions would come later.

But for now she was a young goddess. Spontaneous and eternal and hell bent on having both the Heavens and the Below as her realm.

  
#  


Inanna leaned close to her husband’s ear. “Wake up, my love,” she softly called. He had been asleep for nearly two days, occasionally twitching and muttering in his sleep. At her beckoning, he jerked awake, whirled around to face her and scrambled away from her, his eyes wide with fear.

She held up her hands. “Calm yourself, Husband,” she said gently. “I worried for you.” Inanna placed her hands on his cheeks. He panted frantically, eyes still wide and wild, looking around. “Dumuzi…”

His eyes settled on her face, his pupils dilating as he focused in on her. “Morrigan?” he croaked. She shook her head and waited with bated breath as he sorted through the thoughts whirling through his head. Though she wondered who this Morrigan was. “No… no… Grace? No… Persephone… No…” He whispered the name of an ancient goddess. One who had given birth to the universe and was both feared and loved and worshipped by the other gods. How did a mortal even know _Her_ name and dare to use it? Even the fiercest of gods dared not speak Her name from fear of waking Her. And who were the others he spoke of? “Inanna…”

“Yes,” she replied softly, thumbing the apples of his cheeks, just above his beard. 

He covered her hands with his and turned his head left then right to kiss her palms. “Inanna,” he whispered reverently, pulling her close so he could rest his forehead against her own. “My beloved Inanna.”

“Who are these Morrigan, Persephone, and Grace? Should I be jealous?” Inanna teased, knowing full well she was ready to destroy the other women if they dared to have favour with her husband. They were such strange names. Perhaps they were from foreign lands. Were there any women from foreign lands in her temple?

Dumuzi blinked at her in confusion. “What is a Morrigan, Grace, and Persephone?” he asked with a lopsided smile.

“Nothing, my darling, they are nothing,” Inanna murmured. She squeaked softly when her husband kissed at her lips and face eagerly. “Dumuzi!” Inanna wrapped her arms around his neck as he scooped her into his arms and stood. “What are you doing?”

“I wish to know my wife underneath the stars and to watch her greet the rising sun,” Dumuzi said, carrying her out onto the balcony that overlooked the gardens. “As she does so often when she sleeps in the Heavens while away from me and I can only see her shining in the sky, far from my reach.”

Inanna cupped Dumuzi’s cheek, feeling a faint fluttering in her chest she couldn't identify.

The following morning she was knelt at the edge of the balcony in a meditative state. She searched for the steady thrum of life from the earth. When she found the pulse, she spread her hands from her side. A low, deep hum rumbled in her chest as, below, her priestesses began to play a low steady drum beat.

Inanna raised her hands slowly in an arch until her palms pressed together over her head. Her throaty hum, becoming a soft melody as the skies began to soften and turn various shades of pink, orange, and purple. Palms still pressed together, she prostrated herself toward the changing sky, her lips nearly touching the floor.

The drumming below intensified and several voices joined hers in an ancient song they knew not the words to but sang because it was their duty as her priestesses. But Inanna knew them. They came to her when she was a young goddess. 

_Mother of Darkness._  
Hold us in your embrace.  
Mother of Darkness  
Share with us your Light 

Inanna rolled her body upward, letting herself bloom like a flower in the spring. When she was back in her original pose, she let her hands spread again until they reached her sides. The moment her fingers touched the ground, the sun broke the horizon. Her voice and that of her priestesses pitched and held the note.

It felt like a warriors blow when Inanna felt the surge of energy burst forth from her, setting her aflame from the tips of her toes to the ends of her hair. Fire consumed her. If any mere mortal we're to look upon her, they would be dead from witnessing such a glorious moment. Their last thought would be whether it was a woman they saw or an elegant bird rising from the pile of soot where Inanna had been kneeling.

It was in this moment of horrific beauty that Inanna could see HER. The Dark Mother. Her kind golden eyes, her skin of shadows. SHE cradled Inanna to HER bosom. “You are my daughter of the sky. Inanna, Ishtar, Isis. And I love you.”

Four arms curled around her, hot lips kissed her brow. Tears began to stream down Inanna’s face as The Dark Mother returned her to the earthly plane and renewed her physical body.

Inanna slumped over, weeping into ashes around her. After a moment she became aware of a large, gentle hand stroking her back. She remembered her husband and turned toward him. He gently dried her eyes with his thumb and tilted up her chin. 

His face was so much different in the fresh glow of morning. Somehow kinder. A vision of him upon a throne of iron and bone--the throne of The Below--loneliness writ on his face came to her. Upon his head was a crown of twisted and spiked metal adorned with glimmering gems and gleaming white horns of a stag.

He was paler. Thinner. Darkness surrounded him. _Lonely_ , she noted again.

She threw her arms around his neck and tucked her face in the curve of his shoulder. “What have I done to you my beloved Dumuzi?” she whispered on a sob. 

But never would she regret it. He would be hers for eternity. She couldn't think of anyone, mortal or immortal, that would regret giving the one they loved eternal youth and life.

**Author's Note:**

> Kishargal = Princess of the Firm Ground  
> Ahatu = Sister


End file.
